Manchester City have not given up hope on signing Arsenal schemer Aaron Ramsey and John Stones, while the Gunners have set a price ceiling for Alexandre Lacazette even as Pogba’s long awaited deal is set to be announced today.
It’s the Friday paper talk
Gunners Won’t Break Bank For Lacazette
Arsenal will not spend more than £33.7million on Lyon’s France Striker Alexandre Lacazette, claim Squawka.
The Gunners made a £29.5million offer for the player last month, but Lyon rejected the bid for the 25-year-old.
Arsene Wenger, who tried to tempt Jamie Vardy to The Emirates in the summer, is believed to be planning an improved offer for the striker but he will not pay more than the €40million that Chelsea paid for Michy Batshuayi.
The Gunners boss claimed he was looking for one more addition to his squad after the 2-1 success over the MLS All-stars.
City Still Chasing Ramsey
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and his management team “haven’t given up pursuing” Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey, according to a report.
The 25-year-old remains a top target for Guardiola, despite the Gunners’ resistance to sell the Wales star, according to Transfer market web.
Ramsey, who was linked with a move to City earlier in the year as soon as Guardiola was confirmed as City’s new boss, has also been mentioned as a target for Manchester United, but Arsene Wenger is desperate to keep hold of the player, who signed from Cardiff for £4.8million in 2008.
Gael Clichy, Samir Nasri and Bacary Sagna have all made the move from Arsenal to City in recent years and Guardiola is prepared to considerably increase Ramsey’s £4.4million annual salary to see him follow in their footsteps. Ramsey is contracted until 2018 at The Emirates.
Paul Pogba’s Move To United Is “Complete”
Paul Pogba will become a Manchester United player again after they agreed a deal close to £100million with Juventus on Thursday night.
It means the player who left Old Trafford for next to nothing in 2012 will return as the stellar Signing of the summer - in a world record transfer which smashes the British mark by an incredible £40m.
The deal for the 23-year-old France midfielder is expected to be formalised on Friday after Pogba's agent Mino Raiola held further talks with Juventus officials and lawyers in Turin on Thursday afternoon. United and Juventus have agreed to pay a fee to Raiola with part of his 20 per cent bonus being accounted for in Pogba's overall deal.
It is understood, however, that Juventus will announce the fee at £84.3m on account of the tax they are due to pay on the transfer. The current world record transfer fee is the £86m paid by Real Madrid to Tottenham for Gareth Bale in 2013.
Pogba is due to have a medical in Los Angeles after his recent holiday in Florida before signing a five-year contract worth £290,000 a week. The add-ons will include a bonus to Juventus should he renew his contract at United and another should he win the Ballon d'Or.
Pogba left Old Trafford in July 2012 after the then United manager Sir Alex Ferguson refused to agree to Raiola's demands for an improved contract. Juventus paid them just £800,000 in compensation.
Even As Mourinho’s Begins Clear Out
German World Cup winner Bastian Schweinsteiger has become the highest-profile victim of Jose Mourinho's 'clear-out Thursday' with nine players told they can leave the club, either permanently or on loan.
All nine players were informed personally by Mourinho of the decision and trained with the Under 21s at Manchester United's training base at Carrington rather than with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the rest of the first-team squad.
It is unlikely any of the nine will be involved in United's friendly against Galatasaray in Gothenburg on Saturday and there are some surprising names on the list of casualties as Mourinho whittles his squad down to the ideal number of 24.
Defenders: Tim Fosu-Mensah, Paddy McNair, Tyler Blackett, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson.
Midfielders: Bastian Schweinsteiger, Andreas Pereira, Adnan Januzaj
Strikers: Will Keane, James Wilson
City Confident Of Landing Stones
Manchester City are growing increasingly confident of prising John Stones away from Everton after re-opening talks over a prospective £50million move this week.
John Stones travelled to Germany with the rest of the Everton squad on Thursday as pre-season continues
Everton rejected a £40m offer earlier in the month and want a record fee for an Englishman if they are to part with him.
It remains to be seen whether Stones taking part in the Dresden Cup throws a spanner in the works as Pep Guardiola looks to bolster his back line.
.. And Also Close To Signing Marlos Moreno
Marlos Moreno's agent has said his player will travel to England on Saturday before signing a contract with Manchester City.
Sportsmail revealed last month that Pep Guardiola was interested in bringing the Atletico Nacional winger to City for £8million.
Eladio Tamayo, who represents Moreno, confirmed on Thursday that the 19-year-old would join City on a five-year deal before going out on loan to Deportivo La Coruna for next season.
Others
Manchester United and Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, 31, could become the first big-name casualty of new manager Jose Mourinho’s time at Old Trafford. (Daily Express)
Wales striker Hal Robson-Kanu is attracting interest from Spanish giants Atletico Madrid and Sevilla. (Sky Sports)
Mourinho is planning a clearout at United with nine players set to leave to make way for Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba, 23. (Sun)
If United fail to sign Pogba, then they will target his France international team-mate Blaise Matuidi, 29, who plays for Paris St-Germain. (Manchester Evening News)
German champions Bayern Munich have stopped new England manager Sam Allardyce from adding their assistant manager Paul Clement to his backroom team. (Various)
Colombian striker Marlos Moreno is set to join Manchester City after the 19-year-old’s agent confirmed an £8m move from Atletico Nacional.(Daily Mail)
Real Madrid are planning a move for Paris St-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti, 23, after accepting defeat in their pursuit of Paul Pogba. (AS)
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is considering using England midfielder James Milner, 30, as an emergency left-back after giving up on signing Ben Chilwell, 19, from Leicester City. (Daily Telegraph)
Tottenham are interested in signing Yunus Malli from Mainz, the attacking midfielder has a £7.5m clause in his contract. (Mirror)
Manchester City are struggling to offload unwanted stars Yaya Toure, Jesus Navas, Wilfried Bony and Aleksandar Kolarov. (Mirror)
West Ham’s new home at the Olympic Stadium could be rebranded the Tesco Stadium. (Mail)
Leicester No.2 Craig Shakespeare is the coach Sam Allardyce wants to join his backroom team. (Star)
West Ham’s 17-year-old defender Reece Oxford, valued at £18m by the Hammers, wants first-team assurances from the club after interest from Manchester United. (Evening Standard)
West Ham are close to signing 26-year-old Swansea City forward Andre Ayew for £16m. (Sun)
Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone, 46, has described the Premier League as “attractive” and hinted his future could be in England. (Daily Mail)
Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has hinted that 23-year-old Spanish forward Jese, a target for Arsenal and Liverpool, could be set for a move away from the Bernabeu. (Metro)
Arsenal are in talks to sign Valencia’s 24-year-old Germany defender Shkodran Mustafi. (Sky Germany)
Everton defender Leighton Baines, 31, is set to sign a new contract with the Toffees. (Liverpool Echo)
Stoke City’s former England striker Peter Crouch, 35, is the latest forward being linked with a move to Swansea City. (South Wales Evening Post)
Newcastle United have not received a bid for Ayoze Perez, 23, from Barcelona – despite reports of a £15m offer for the Spanish forward. (The Chronicle)
Everton striker Oumar Niasse, 26, is set to leave the club after being left out of the pre-season trip to Germany – Niasse only joined the Merseyside club in January for £13.5m. (Sky Sports)
Sunderland have been linked with a move for Benfica’s Argentina striker Eduardo Salvio, 26. (Sunderland Echo)
Manchester City target Gabriel Jesus, 19, is on the verge of completing a transfer away from Palmeiras – but the Brazilian forward has not confirmed his destination. (TalkSPORT)
West Brom will try to sign left-back Charlie Taylor from Leeds United. (Sun)
Burnley are leading the chase to sign Leeds’ wantaway left-back Charlie Taylor. (Mirror)
Liverpool are hoping to bring Lyon’s teenage defender Jordy Gaspar to Anfield. (Sun)
Sunderland striker Jermaine Defoe is likely to miss the start of the season because of a thigh injury. (Sun)
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